Genesis 40 Footnotes

40:1-4 The king’s “cupbearer” (or butler) and “baker” were highly trusted “officers.” They made sure the king was not poisoned by food or drink, and because they were highly trusted, both often served as his advisers. The honor of their positions is reflected by the fact that, though they had “offended” Pharaoh, their imprisonment was a kind of house arrest in which Joseph served as their “personal attendant.”

40:9-13,16-22 Though the two dreams were significantly different, they occurred the same night and were parallel in the use of the number three, which meant “three days” (v. 18) in each case. Joseph’s interpretations repeat the phrase “Pharaoh will lift up your head” (vv. 13,19). The cupbearer’s head was lifted up in restoration to his position, while the baker’s head was lifted up in being hanged (vv. 20-22). These dreams, containing a number that designates a period of time and pointing to starkly contrasting outcomes, preview Pharaoh’s dreams (41:1-7).